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“My scientist brother started off making beer in the basement when he was in high school. When my father found out, he was furious, but then he tasted it and his entrepreneurial side got excited.” Damon flashed Kay a grin. “He pushed Eric to get a degree in chemistry and business, and I think it’s served him well.”
Kay smiled back. “Will’s the perfect child?”
“Overachieving oldest child. Natalie’s the perfect child, and we all spoil her as best we can.”
“Librarian, right?”
“Correct.” Damon shot her glance. “You’ve been keeping tabs on us.”
“Maybe.” The truth was Kay and her sisters did find the Brannigan boys fascinating. Not only were they the only other witch family in the area, they had a reputation of being bad boys and were considered taboo. A designation she was beginning to think they might not deserve.
They’d arrived at Beerwitched Brewery, and leaves rustled under their feet as they made their way to the small building that housed the brewery as well as the bar. As Damon held the door open for her, she smiled at him. It occurred to her how easy it would be to fall in love with this man. He was everything she’d thought she didn’t want, but the more she got to know about Damon Brannigan the more she realized he might be the kind of man she needed.
13
Damon
When Damon sawKay had dressed up and done her hair for their date, he couldn’t help the way his heart soared with hope. He hadn’t meant to get deep about their absentee parents, and it was clear she harbored pain over it the way he did. But he also knew that they were both broken in the same way, and that it might be what bonded them instead of keeping them apart. Since he didn’t want the dark thoughts to ruin their evening, Damon planned to keep the rest of their date light.
He glanced around Beerwitched Brewery, the small building that he’d helped his brother build. The scent of pine was still strong in the thousand-square-foot space that housed the brewery and the bar and a wall containing the taps divided the room. The bar had seats for eight customers, and there were a few tables for more patrons. There were two other couples utilizing them. A set of shelves held cards and board games to encourage people to stay for a while, and for the warmer months, there was an area outside where Eric had set up an eclectic collection of patio furniture he’d salvaged from various freecycle places.
Kay and he walked up to the bar. “Sean,” Damon said to the young guy behind the bar. “This is Kay.” He looked at her. “And I’m going to guess she’s never had a Beerwitched beer.”
She smiled. “You’re right. What should I try? I’m not a fan of bitter IPA’s.”
“What do you usually drink?” Sean asked.
“Ales. Belgian style beers.”
“You’re welcome to try everything, and I do have an ale you might like, but I bet I know one you’d like even more. Hang on.” Sean stepped through the door that led to the brewing room, and less than a minute later Eric came out. “Damon,” he said before looking at Kay and holding out his hand. “I’m Eric. The smarter, more attractive Brannigan.”
Damon tried not to roll his eyes, but Kay giggled, apparently weak for any Brannigan guy’s charm. She let him take her hand. “I’m Kay Knight.”
Eric raised his eyebrows. “Perhaps I should bow to you.” He leaned in with a sly smile and spoke in a whisper as if Damon couldn’t hear him. “You Knight girls are an enigma to the Brannigan boys.”
“I dare say the Brannigan boys are the same for us.”
“Good.” Eric held out his arm. “Come with me, Kay. Let me show you some magic.”
Damon nearly groaned. It was just like his brother, with his beard and twinkling eyes, to try to steal his girl.
Eric asked, “Have you ever seen how beer is made?”
Kay shook her head, and that prompted Eric to explain the process. Damon watched as she peered into a shiny fermenter and listened as she asked questions. He hated that he felt a twinge of jealousy, but he didn’t think Kay was the kind of woman to desert her date for his brother, and he chided himself for letting sibling rivalry get the better of his ego.
“I’ve got something I want you to try,” Eric said to Kay as he opened the walk-in cooler door with two glasses in his hand. “It’s a special order for a wedding. The bride wanted glitter beer, and she wanted it to have a strawberry rhubarb flavor.”
“Glitter beer? That sounds interesting.”
Eric poured the beer and then held the glass of pink liquid up to the light.
“Oh! That’s so cool,” Kay exclaimed as she watched the glitter swirl around in the glass.
“Taste it.” Eric handed her the glass and watched her take a sip. “I’m calling it Love Potion Number Nine.”
Kay had taken a swallow and frowned before Eric quickly said, “It’s not spelled. People love gimmicky names, and I thought that would be a funny one for a wedding.”
“Ah,” Kay said. “This is delicious. I can taste the fruit.”
